Electric insole.



, PATENTED'MAR. s, 1908. R. A. STEVENSON & J. T. STORY.

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STEVENSON AND JOHN T. STORY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS OF ONE- HALFTO JOHN T. STORY & (30.,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A FIRM.

ELECTRIC INSOLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March3, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT A. STEVEN- soN and JOHN T. STORY, both ofthe city, county, and State of New York, borough of Manhattan, haveinvented a new and useful Electric Insole, adapted particularly to beworn in boots and shoes, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The object of our invention is to construct an insole of the typespecified, which is simple and economical in construction, and alsoefficient in operation. This latter object is accomplished by soconstructing the electric generators, in the form herein described theelements of a galvanic pile, in such manner that an extensive area ofgalvanic surface is provided. These, and some of the other advantages ofthe invention, will appear from the following detailed description ofone embodiment of the invention, when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein Figure 1 is a shoe partly brokenaway, so as to show the insole therein, in section; Fig. 2 is a planview of the insole shown in Fig. 2 Fig. 3 is a detail of one of thegalvanic elements, or members, and Fig. 4 is a detail of the cup orcontainer forming the outside member of one of the galvanic elements.Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view through an insole showing two galvanicpiles connected in series.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents a shoe, the outer sole ofwhich is designated B, and our new insole C. The main body of the insoleC may be composed of fabric, paper, leather, or other suitable material,but we have found a molded composi tion of ground cork and hair to beparticularly well suited for this purpose. Those arts of the insolecoming beneath the heel and ball of the foot are cored or perforated forthe purpose of receiving the outer members, respectively, of galvanicelements or piles, D, D. In practice these two elements are generallyconstructed alike, so that a de tailed description of one of them, only,will suffice.

Referring now particularly to the galvanic element located at the heelof the shoe, E is a shallow cup shaped member provided with a rim orflange a, the cup beingof such size as to fit snugly in the hole of theinsole, while the rim or flange a is exterior of this hole, and bears onthe underside of the insole. The

outside upper surface of this cup is practically flush with the inner orupper surface of the insole, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The member Emay be composed of any suitable metal, as copper, in which event thecomplemental element E in the forward end of the insole would bepreferably composed of zinc. Each of these containers is supplied with anumber of disks of suitable metal, preferably, copper or zinc, soarranged therein as to have each copper surface opposing a zinc surface,and vice versa, leaving a copper and zinc terminal in each pile. Thesedisks are lettered, respectively, (1, b b and c, 0, 0 On top of each setof disks I may provide a suitable insulating disk (Z, (1, made of paperof other suitable material.

Extending lengthwise of the sole and on the under side thereof is ametal strip F, preferably of copper, which, being on the outside of thedisks, serves to retain them within thecup shaped members E, E, asclearly appears in Fig. 2. The strip F may be secured to the insole inany suitable way, as shown, by riveting the same thereto, the rivetsbeing lettered a, see Figs. 2 and 3. WVhen the insulating disks ormembers d, d, are employed, the metal strip connects with each pile,through the rim or flange 0 thereof, as showing clearly in Fig. 3. Forpurposes of ventilation, it is sometimes desirable to serrate theborders of the large openings in the insole, as clearly appears at fand,Fig. 2. At the bottom of the insole, and covering the galvanic piles orcells and the metal strip F, 1 preferably attach loosely, as by cement,apiece of thin gauze fabric G, which aids in fitting the insole in theshoe.

' The invention having been described, its mode of operation will now beset out briefly. The operation of a galvanic pile or cell being wellunderstood, it will suffice to say that the moisture or perspirationnormally contained. in a shoe, and. containing certain salts asconstituents, such as sodium chlorid, or common salt, is sufficient tostart the electrical or galvanic action of each pile. The outer elementsof each pile, D and the foot, and in conjunction with the metal strip F,which serves as a brush or collector of the current, through the mediumof the flanges or rims, a, an electric circuit is established whichincludes the piles D, D, and l the conducting strip, F, whereby anelectric D, respectively, serve as contact plates for current issupplied to the body of the wearer, and particularly through the wearersfeet.

It will be obvious that the strength of the current may be modified orcontrolled by regulating the size and number of the disks in each pile,and, in the construction shown, these disks may be readily taken out orinserted without disturbing the outer cup members E, t, or the strip F'It will be further understood that should the normal moisture containedin the shoe be insufficient to generate the desired amount of current,artificial voltaic agents, consisting of any of the well known salts forthis purpose, may be placed in the shoe so as to properly contact withthe elements of each pile, or may be placed between the disks,substantially as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

It is to be observed that the galvanic pile, D, has a terminal of onepolarity exposed through the insole, that the other galvanic pile, D,has a terminal of opposite polarity exposed through said insole, andthat the metallic strip, F, connects the galvanic piles in series byengaging with the terminals of the two piles, said terminals engaged bythe strip being of opposite polarity. Now, when the piles are excited bythe absorption of moisture due to the perspiration of the foot, and thefoot engages with the terminals of opposite polarity presented by therespective piles, as represented in Fig-5, a current of electric energyis supplied to the foot.

It will be observed that each pile is removable readily from the insole.The in sole being composed of flexible material, it can be bent ordoubled so as to leave a space between the under part of the insole andthe pliable strip, F, and the pile, with the cup shaped element thereof,can be withdrawn from the cored opening in said. insole. It is evidentthat the pile can be inserted or withdrawn, as desired, withoutdisconnecting the strip, F.

The insole may be worn in a shoe in the same way as an ordinary hairv orfelt insole.

. The electrical current produced, increases the circulation of blood inthe feet, and augments the flow of blood thereto, thereby acting verybeneficially in the treatment of gout, rheumatism and kindred ailments,as well as in various others, such as cold feet, attributable todefective circulation.

It will be apparent from the one embodiment of our invention described,that other ways may be availed of to secure some, or

I all of the advantages of the invention, without de arting from thesubstance or spirit thereo Having thus described our invention, what weclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An article ofthe class described, comprising an insole carrying two galvanic piles,

one of said piles having a terminal of one polarity adapted to contactwith a foot of the wearer and the other pile having a terminal ofopposite polarity adapted to contact with the foot, and means forelectrically connecting the terminals of said piles.

2. An article of the class described, comprising an insole carrying twogalvanic piles, each of which is composed of a plurality of positive andnegative elements, and means connecting said piles in circuit one withthe other.

3. An article of the class described, an insole cored in the heel andsole thereof, a galvanic pile located in each of said cored portionseach pile having its elements contained within a cup shaped terminal anda conducting strip secured to the sole and adapted to hold said piles inproper posi tions.

4. An article of the class described, an insole provided with aplurality of galvanic cells or piles, each pile being contained within acup shaped terminal, and an electric conductor secured to said insoleand serving to electrically connect said piles or cells through the cupshaped terminals thereof.

5. An article of the class described, an in sole supporting or carryinga flanged cup v adapted to contact with the foot of the wearer, whilethe lower sides or elements are connected by a metallic strip and heldin place thereby.-

7. An article of the class described, an insole, a flanged conductingcontainer, the flanges of which contact with the sole, and suitablegalvanic elements within the container.

8. An article of the class described, an insole having openings coredtherein, the periphery of the cored portions being serrated, and agalvanic pile fitted in said opening.

9. An article of the class described, an insole, a voltaic or galvanicpile cooperating therewith and a conductor secured to said sole andadapted to hold said pile in place.

10. An article of the class described, an insole, a voltaic or galvanicelement in the form of a cup cooperating with said sole, a conductingstrip, and a plurality of galvanic elements loosely confined betweensaid cup and strip. p

11. An article of the class described, an insole, a plurality ofgalvanic cells, a metallic retainer secured to the sole and adapted toboth electrically connect said cells and to retain them in place and aflexible covering exterior of said cells and retainer.

12. An article of the class described, an insole, flanged cups servingas elements of voltaic piles, and a conductor insulated from said cup orpiles except on said flanges.

13. An article of the class described, an insole, a cup, a plurality ofvoltaic elements therein, a conductor contacting with the edges of thecup and an insulating member separating said conductor from the elementsin the cup.

14. An article of the class described, an insole, a cup shaped containercooperating therewith, a conductor partially covering the opening insaid container, whereby voltaic elements may be readily inserted orremoved from the container.

15. An article of the class described, an insole, a perforation oropening therein, a vol taic pile confined Within the opening andventilating openings in the sole surrounding the pile.

16. An article of the class described, an insole, a plurality ofgalvanic cells housed therein, a fiat metallic strip running lengthwiseof the sole and secured thereto, and serving to electrically connect thecells and to retain them in place, and a layer of fabric covering saidstrip.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT A. STEVENSON.

JOHN T. STORY.

Witnesses:

JAs. H. GRIFFiN, H. I. BERNHARD.

